


it's you

by ToastySilverLinings



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Platonic Relationships, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 08:30:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13971243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToastySilverLinings/pseuds/ToastySilverLinings
Summary: Tezuka doesn't like parties.Written forLove Game.





	it's you

_You are cordially invited to_

_Atobe Keigo's_

_Valentine’s Day Extravaganza._

_It will be held at the grandiose Atobe Mansion in Tokyo._

_The gala begins on the eighth hour of the tenth evening of February._

_Your apparel should match the theme colors of the gala, which are black, white and red._

_You may bring a partner, or choose to mingle in my mansion._

_Respondez s'il vous plait before the clock strikes midnight on the seventh day of February._

-x-

**Wednesday, February 7**

Tezuka Kunimitsu took a long, hard stare at the gaudy invitation, which was printed in gold foil with red hearts embossed on the borders. He let out an audible sigh and threw the card in his desk drawer, not intending to go to the party at all. After all, it was Atobe Keigo who invited him, and knowing Atobe Keigo, he would have suffered from unnecessary chit chat and prodding from the pompous blond if he ever stepped into the grounds of that mansion.

Tezuka leaned back in his chair, sparing a glance at the piles of books and papers crowding his desk, and let out another sigh. He wondered why he threw himself under the bus by taking too many subjects during his fourth semester at university. Apart from that, he had joined the university’s tennis team _and_ the university’s newspaper committee, filling up his schedule, barely leaving three hours to himself each week. Maybe he should have thought the entire schedule over, but now that it had been a month into the semester, he decided to just continue with it.

His phone buzzed loudly, indicating a text message. It distracted him from his line of thought, and he picked up the device. He relaxed slightly once he saw the sender’s name on the screen.

Oshitari Yuushi: _did you get that invite from keigo?_

Tezuka Kunimitsu: _Yes, I did._

Oshitari Yuushi: _honestly, the theme's better than last year’s. it was a very obnoxious combination of pink and white, and everyone looked absolutely stupid._

Tezuka's lips curved into an amused smirk. He would have liked to see Oshitari Yuushi dressed up in pink for once. His phone pinged again, making him look back down at the screen. A picture of Yuushi holding up a shirt to the mirror stared back at him.

Oshitari Yuushi: _what do you think about this maroon shirt?_

Tezuka Kunimitsu: _Why are you asking me?_

Oshitari Yuushi: _well, i trust your opinion, not keigo's. he'd probably tell me to wear a ferrari red polo on white trousers with some red shoes. gross._

Tezuka chuckled to himself softly, picturing Yuushi wearing the outfit which was just described. He shook his head, and continued to read.

Oshitari Yuushi: _also, i would like it if you came to the party this year, even if it’s just for a bit. i don’t really get to see you at uni these days since both of us are busy with our classes and committees..._

He looked at the monthly calendar pinned to the corkboard above his desk and spotted the note box allotted to the tenth of February with nothing penciled in.

Wait.

He was free on Saturday? This surprised him slightly. He pushed his glasses up with his hand and typed out a swift reply to Yuushi.

Tezuka Kunimitsu: _I may be able to make it…and that color suits you well._

He had never heard the message alert go off so quickly.

Oshitari Yuushi: _i’m glad that you can. i’ll see you on saturday :)_

-x-

**Saturday, February 10**

As soon as Tezuka stepped through the gates of Atobe’s mansion, he came to regret every single moment leading up to him attending the over-the-top event. The exorbitant decorations in the garden made him cringe. Why were six cupid ice statues leading the way to the mansion? Why were the trees and bushes adorned with red and white fairy lights?

'It's Atobe Keigo. These decorations are clearly just the tip of the iceberg. He might have dispersed quite a number of balloons and streamers inside his house.’ Tezuka thought to himself. He made his way to the entrance to the mansion, ignoring most of the decorations. The door opened, and he came face to face with one of Atobe’s many butlers, completely decked out in a red tuxedo.

'Oh.’ Tezuka was never good with parties, and yet he was there.

-x-

Once Tezuka noticed that he was not the only one present from his old team at Seishun Gakuen, he allowed himself to relax slightly. He spotted Oishi Shuichirou frantically running towards him, with Kikumaru Eiji and Momoshiro Takeshi following behind.

“Tezuka! I didn’t know you were going to come here today.” Oishi exclaimed with a grin.

“Hoi hoi, I never thought you’d be here of all places~!” Eiji sang, throwing his right arm around Oishi’s shoulders.

“Tezuka-buchou, do you have a valentine?” Momoshiro suggested, wiggling his eyebrows. Oishi had a scandalous look on his face as he turned to Momoshiro.

“Momo!” Said person cackled loudly, with the redhead joining in the laughter. Tezuka felt the urge to roll his eyes, but resisted. He did miss their old antics from when they were in middle school.

“Oishiiiii, Momo was just joking! As if Tezuka would ever have a valentine.” Eiji quipped, grinning from ear to ear.

“Eiji!”

“What? It’s the truth.”

Tezuka pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. At least he was not alone at Atobe’s absurd excuse for a party.

Oshitari Yuushi walked past him, waving at him before joining Shishido Ryou and Hiyoshi Wakashi in conversation. Tezuka nodded at Yuushi and reminded himself that now he had an excuse to stay at the party.

-x-

“Hey, I thought you’d be here…” Yuushi began, startling Tezuka and making him drop the book he was pulling out of the shelf. He whirled around and relaxed when he saw the bespectacled male standing at the doorway. He had escaped to Atobe's empty library to get away from the roaring party around an hour ago. There were too many people trying to talk to him, and he did not appreciate people he hardly knew trying to pry into his life.

Yuushi grinned and closed the door behind him, shutting out the loud music thumping downstairs. He swiftly strode up to the line of book shelves Tezuka was standing at, before bending down and picking up the book the brunet dropped, dusting it off slightly.

“Hn, you know I dislike these loud parties.” Tezuka replied. Yuushi shrugged and walked closer to him.

“Yeah, which is why you always come up here.” He chuckled softly and moved around the coffee table, running his hand across the leather armchair sectioned away into a quiet niche by the shelves they stood by. “Tezuka Kunimitsu, I know you hate them, and I still wonder, why do you even bother showing up? I mean, unless I had texted you on Wednesday, would you have even considered coming to this silly party?” Said person turned to Yuushi, shaking his head.

“I’m the only one who sits in the library during these 'galas.’” he quipped with a ready excuse. Yuushi smirked.

“Is that the only reason you come over, for the books? Besides, you know that you’ve always been welcome to Atobe’s mansion, he loves to flaunt his library to you.” Yuushi pulled the book from Tezuka’s hands and set it aside on the table before tugging him closer by his wrist. “Sit here, you’ll feel more relaxed,” he said, gesturing for him to sit on the armchair. Tezuka raised an eyebrow.

“Are you sure? It’s ‘Atobe’s Precious Reading Throne.'” Yuushi chuckled again and poked his arm.

“I know you’ve been wanting to lounge here for a bit. It’s written all over your face.” He drawled. Tezuka resisted the urge to roll his eyes for probably the seventeenth time that night, and made himself comfortable in the chair, watching the smirk plastered on Yuushi’s face grow into a wide grin. He felt surprised by the soft feel of the chair cushioning him.

“Maybe… I should get a chair like this in the future.” he mentioned quietly, glancing down to admire the armchair.

“You look like one of those successful people from Forbes’ Thirty Under Thirty, like someone who has their whole life together.” Yuushi stated. “Seriously Tezuka, you look really good sitting in that seat.” Tezuka looked up at Yuushi with a slight frown marring his face.

“You of all people should know that I do not share that sentiment,” he said quietly, looking away. He suddenly felt as if he could not face him and sighed.

“I know. And I also know that the stress is getting to you, which is why you came to the party  tonight.” He took his hand in his and squeezed it slightly. “You know you can always talk to me, Tezuka, I’ve always listened.” Yuushi pushed away a stray hair from Tezuka's forehead with his free hand, slightly startling the brunet.

“Hey, look at me,” Yuushi whispered, prompting Tezuka to do so. “I know you feel like you’re being crushed by everything happening all at once, and I also know that you are so stressed that you keep running away from things that you feel like you’re not ready to face…” Tezuka sighed softly, and Yuushi just gave him a sheepish smile. The blue haired man sat on the arm of the chair and continued, “Tezuka, I’ve always been someone you can lean on. You may think that you’ll be a burden to me, but you’re not.” He squeezed Tezuka's hand again, reassuringly.

Tezuka nodded. He felt a wave of relief wash over him. He leaned back into the chair, looked up at the ceiling, and closed his eyes, pausing for a while. His left hand was still in Yuushi’s, and he did not feel the need to let go. The warmth from Yuushi's hand comforted him. He could feel Yuushi staring at him, waiting for him to say something.

A few moments later, Tezuka sat up straight and let out a soft sigh. He turned to Yuushi, who still had his deep blue eyes trained on him, observing him. He locked eyes with his and his mouth curved up slightly into a small smile.

“I… I guess I needed that,” he replied quietly. “Thank you, Oshitari.” Yuushi’s stare softened, and he leaned in towards Tezuka.

“Everything will work out, and when you feel like you’re going to implode, you know who to talk to.” he replied, returning a smile. They shared the short silence that followed, still unconsciously holding onto each other’s hands.

“Are you free in the evening next Wednesday?”

“I have classes till three in the afternoon, and then practice till six.” Tezuka replied nonchalantly. “Why?” Yuushi chuckled.

“Hm, then I’ll pick you up from practice.” Tezuka raised an eyebrow.

“You didn’t answer my question, Oshitari.” he retorted sharply.

“It’s Valentine’s day,” Yuushi answered.

“Again, that does not constitute as an answer to my question.” Tezuka’s face contorted into a slight frown. Yuushi grinned.

“There’s only one person I’d like to spend Valentine’s evening with. Guess who.” Tezuka stared at him blankly, which made Yuushi burst into laughter.

“It’s you.”


End file.
